Mail-box.



N0. 696,72L' Patented Apr. I, I902. J. w. cunmen.

MAIL BOX.

' (Application filed Jan 29, 1902.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet I.

GUM/lau No. 696,72l.

Patented'Apr. l, I902; J. W. CURRIER.

MAIL BOX.

(Application filed Jan. 29, 1902.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets Sheet 2.

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UNTTED dTaTEs PATENT OEETcE.

JOHN T. OURRIER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

iVlAlL BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 696,721, dated April1, 1902. Application filed January 29,1902. Serial No. 91,700. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN W. CURRIER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in mail-boxes for use inconnection with the freedelivery system; and it has for its object theproduction of a simple and inexpensive mailbox constructed and designedwith particular regard to the purpose to which it is adapted.

The invention will first be specifically de scribed in connection withthe accompanying drawings and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved mail-box.Fig. 2 is a similar View, the cover being shown raised to permit theinsertion or withdrawal of mail. Fig. 3 is a top plan of the mail-box.Fig. 4: is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is an enlargedtransverse vertical central section of the box, showing the samesupported from a post or the like.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that myimproved box is formedof sheet metal and comprises a body portion 1, practically cylindricalin shape, with the exception of its back or rear portion, which isflattened in a vertical plane, as at 2, for a purpose hereinafterdescribed. A mail-receiving opening 3 is formed in the upper portion ofthe body and is provided with a cover 4, hinged at 5 to the body and ofsuch length as to project beyond the vertical end walls of the body, asat 6, the front edge of the cover being provided with an extended lip 7for convenience in raising the cover. If desired, a lock 8 may beprovided to permit the locking of the cover to the body. The coverconforms in shape to the body 1 and is held normallyin position to closeopening 8 by a spring 9, and I also provide a name-plate 10, which issecured to the cover in a position to be readily visible from the frontof the box.

Centrally of the rear of the box I secure what I term the box-support,being a metallic casing 11 of a size and shape to snugly receive theupper end of a post 12, to which the box is designed to be secured. Asshown in the drawings, the support 11 comprises a rectangular casing,one wallof which is formed by the box-back 2, the upper end of theeasing being closed. The mail-box is secured in place by the upper endof the post 12 entering the support, screws 13 fixing the box andsupport to the post, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

Pivoted to the back 2 of the box is the signal, which is designed to bemanually operated to indicate the presence of mail in the box; Thesignal comprises a Vertical rodl l, pivoted at its lower end to the boxand carrying at its upper end the signal 15. In the present instance Ihave shown the signal as comprising a plate bent centrally to formright-angled members providing a signal visi ble from any direction fromwhich the box may be approached, though it is to be understood that Icontemplate the use of any form of signal. To hold the signal in set andunset positions, a spring member 16 is used, which member comprises aspring wire or rod secured to the box on its rear flat portion, asclearly shown in Fig. 4c, and bent to form. recesses 17 of a size toreceive the signal-rod 14. These recesses are positioned to receive andhold the red when the *signal is in the set or unset position. Throughthe use of the recesses 17 I am enabled to provide a construction inwhich the effective life of the signalholding member 15 is greatlyprolonged over similar constructions now in use, as it will be notedthat there is no strain or tension on the spring member when thesignal-rod rests in either of the recesses, while at the same time suchrecesses effectively hold the signal-rod against accidentaldisplacement, the tension of the spring member being such as to requireforce to move the rod from one recess to the other, as will be evident.

In providing a mail-box with a rounded bottom and a flattened back Igain a desirable advantage in boxes designed for the freedeliverysystem, in that the mail within the box may be readily and quicklygathered and removed therefrom without elevating the cover 4 more thansufficient to introduce the hand, as the flattened back of the boxcauses all mailintroduced to fall to the bottom, while the cylindricalbottom of the box provides for the ready and convenient grasping of allmail in the box. As before stated, I am enabled by this construction toremove all mail from.

the box without raising the cover more than sufficient to introduce thehand, and hence the interior of the box and its contents will beprotected against the elements even while inserting or withdrawing mail,which result is aided by the projecting ends 6 of the cover. Inproviding the box with a practically inte gral metal support designed toreceive the post to which the boxis secured, which support is of suchconstruction as to completely envelop the upper end of the post, Iprovide for the convenient placing in position of the box and at thesame time protect the upper portion of the post from the elements,protecting that portion of the post to which the box is fastened fromdecay, and hence guarding against the probable unauthorized removal ofthe box. In my improved spring member for holding the signal-rod Iprovide effectively against the accidental displacement of the signaland at the same time construct said spring member so that it exerts notension upon the signal-rod except when the latter is being moved, thusadding to the life of the spring member without in any way detractingfrom its usefulness.

From the described construction of my improved mail-box it will be seenthat the entire upper portion of the box is cylindrical or rounded andthat snow or the like will not remain thereon, thus aiding in protectingthe contents of the box against the elements Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. A mail-box having a fiat back wall and a rounded bottom, and abox-support secured to the back wall, said support being designed toreceive a post or the like and being closed at top.

2. A mail-box having a flat back wall and a rounded bottom, a signal-rodpivoted to the back wall, and a spring member to hold said rod in setand unset positions, said spring member being formed with recesses toreceive and hold the rod and adapted to exert a tension on the rod whenmoving from one recess to the other.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN W. OURRIER.

Witnesses:

A. H. BUCK, F. D. REED.

